Space 5
8:55:45 PM Josie: Okay! 8:58:53 PM Josie: Coil was talking to Vir about what to do about Captain (Unknownfirstname) Lark. 8:58:58 PM Coil: Yeah. 8:59:11 PM Josie: Vir suggested getting more information on the Lark sisters. 9:01:04 PM Josie: You could also kill one of the larks or run like hell, or find the slug a new host, aka steal a corpse. 9:01:58 PM Coil: Coil won't kill either of them, no matter how much easier that might make things! 9:02:25 PM Josie: Right! But it is an option, technically. 9:02:39 PM Josie: Vir: What are we going to do? ... and where is the android? 9:03:10 PM Coil: She's in one of the empty cabins. She came around, but I told her to shut down for a few hours. 9:03:17 PM Coil: Her name is Alice. 9:03:42 PM Josie: Vir: She has memories? 9:04:43 PM Coil: No. The slug told me. 9:05:20 PM Josie: Vir: ... does the slug have a name? 9:05:45 PM Coil: We'll have to come up with one. 9:06:55 PM Josie: Vir: You intend to keep the slug. What of the sister? 9:08:07 PM Coil: I don't know that I"m going to 'keep' her. I'm not going to kill her or turn her over, though. Her sister.... might be too dangerous to have on board. She's trained to detect lies. she knew I was lying, but was only interested in what happened to her sister. 9:08:36 PM Josie: Vir: What is the alternative? 9:09:34 PM Coil: I don't imagine she'll take the news 'I didn't let that proscribed species die, I let the slug reanimate your beloved twin sister's body' very well. 9:09:58 PM Josie: Vir: More tact may be required if she is to be told. 9:10:40 PM Coil: You think tact can take the edge off that? 9:10:55 PM Josie: Vir: Some. You are fairly... tactful. 9:12:06 PM Coil: She already knows about me. 9:12:33 PM Josie: Vir: You could seduce her. 9:13:07 PM Coil: She tried to seduce me already. 9:13:24 PM Josie: Vir: ... that was a joke. 9:14:18 PM Coil: ... I can't tell. you have that great poker face. 9:15:40 PM Josie: Vir: What are we going to do? 9:18:52 PM Coil: I still honestly don't know. I suppose I could say yes, wait until her commision gets resigned, and then tell her the truth. 9:19:17 PM Josie: Vir: And leave her without a position if she changes her mind? 9:20:04 PM Coil: What do you think we should do? 9:22:07 PM Josie: Vir: I prefer nonviolent solutions. And the truth is easier to remember. Your proposal is a good one, though some people don't react well to being backed into a corner. 9:25:45 PM Coil: That or I just tell her 'no' and we move on. Chances are she'd come gunning for us, though. 9:26:56 PM Josie: Vir shrugs. "She would not be the only one." 9:28:20 PM Coil: I suppose not. 9:28:38 PM Coil: ... I should talk to the slug. 9:29:04 PM Josie: Vir: It too has a stake. ... she too. 9:30:18 PM Coil: Coil nods. "Where is she?" 9:31:05 PM Josie: Vir: In the cockpit. I told her to touch nothing and gave her the manual for the controls. ... she saluted. 9:31:42 PM Coil: All right. I'll go talk to her. What about Lou? 9:34:41 PM Josie: Vir: Kitchen. 9:35:03 PM Coil: Keep an eye on her, would you? 9:35:20 PM Josie: Vir: Yes. 9:35:27 PM Coil: Coil goes to the cockpit! 9:36:24 PM Josie: He finds the slug with her nose about an inch away from the control panel. "Oh, hallo! I'm familiarizing myself with the controls! Do you think I ought to clean them? They do seem rather dusty." 9:37:00 PM Coil: They're fine. We need to talk about Lark's sister. 9:38:28 PM Josie: Slug: Do we? Whatever for? 9:38:50 PM Coil: She's very upset that Lark is dead. 9:39:37 PM Josie: Slug: ... oh. I could see where that might be the case, yes. 9:40:20 PM Coil: She was waiting for her sister on that station. 9:40:43 PM Josie: Slug: ... really? I wonder why. 9:41:12 PM Coil: She was looking forward to spending time with her. 9:41:29 PM Josie: Slug: Really? They weren't on the best of terms. 9:42:29 PM Coil: ...what do I call you? 9:42:48 PM Josie: Slug: I don't know, what do you call me? 9:42:59 PM Josie: She stares at him with great curiosity. 9:44:12 PM Coil: We've been calling you 'the slug', but we can't keep calling you that. 9:45:44 PM Josie: Slug: no... no, I should think not! Surely something else would be better. Incorporating some element of Captain Lark's name, perhaps. Irene something? Lark something? 9:46:08 PM Coil: Well, you should decide on something. 9:47:38 PM Josie: Slug: Oh, but I couldn't possibly! I've no idea what the human tongue finds easy to pronounce! 9:48:16 PM Coil: You *have* a human tongue now. I have enough stuff to decide at the moment. 9:48:24 PM Coil: Lark's sister wants to join the crew. 9:49:39 PM Josie: Slug: Yes, but.... she wants to join the crew? Oh, excellent! She's quite capable. 9:50:15 PM Coil: .... you're inhabiting her dead sister's body. 9:50:54 PM Josie: Slug: And? 9:51:13 PM Coil: ... you don't see how that would be a problem?! 9:52:23 PM Josie: Slug: ... should I? 9:52:44 PM Coil: Yes! 9:53:34 PM Coil: If you're going to stay, kyou need to understand basic human interaction! 9:53:55 PM Josie: Slug: ... is there a book? 9:54:01 PM Josie: Slug: ... possibly several books? 9:54:50 PM Coil: No. 9:55:19 PM Coil: At the best, she will find her dead sister's body being inhabited by a proscribed species odd and troublesome. At worst, she will find you an abomination and kill us all. 9:56:21 PM Josie: Slug: ... oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear. I confess I am very loath to let go of this particular host. Her memories are most helpful and her skill set quite unlike my own. 9:56:58 PM Coil: What is her skill set? 9:58:33 PM Josie: Slug: Command, some weapons, writing reports, law enforcement. She was a pilot. 10:02:13 PM Coil: What can you tell me about her sister? 10:02:49 PM Josie: Slug: Oh, everything! Everything Irene Lark knew, at least. 10:02:54 PM Josie: Lark: What do you want to know? 10:03:10 PM Coil: She didn't get along with her sister? 10:04:27 PM Josie: Slug: Not well, no. They hadn't spoken in years, actually! 10:04:40 PM Coil: Why not? 10:06:27 PM Josie: Slug: Well, it's rather difficult for me to explain. 10:07:48 PM Josie: Slug: However, it seems that Stella believed Irene was wasting her talent by going into the military. 10:08:18 PM Josie: Slug: ... which seemed rather odd, as Stella now works for the Coalition forces herself, doesn't she? How strange! Humans are really rather *odd*, aren't they? 10:08:52 PM Coil: Is that the only reason? 10:10:33 PM Josie: Slug: I believe there was a certain amount of rivalry. 10:11:02 PM Josie: Slug: Irene felt the parents favored Stella. 10:11:09 PM Josie: Slug: ... I say, is that *really* how you reproduce? 10:11:18 PM Coil: ...yes. 10:11:34 PM Josie: Slug: Isn't it terribly awkward? 10:11:59 PM Coil: No, it's actually rather nice. 10:12:31 PM Josie: Slug: But it does seem rather undignified, doesn't it? I do wonder you haven't found a more civilized alternative. 10:14:04 PM Coil: Well, there are other ways to reproduce, but they're not as... personal, I suppose. Anyway. Stella Lark. What did she do before she joined the military? 10:15:15 PM Josie: Slug: She went to school. ... for quite some time, apparently. ... oh dear, that does seem to be classified. 10:15:33 PM Josie: Slug: You won't tell anyone, will you? I do hate to think that I've let the captain down. 10:15:57 PM Coil: I won't. I need to know. 10:16:19 PM Josie: Slug: Ah, good. 10:17:07 PM Josie: Slug: Its *name* had school in it, but I believe it seems to have been some sort of augmentation facility. 10:18:14 PM Coil: ... what do you mean by that? You said name weird. 10:19:17 PM Josie: Slug: Well, it was called Kasmira School of Higher Education Facilitation. 10:19:50 PM Josie: Slug: However, Irene seems not to have liked to think about it much on the grounds that it was a classified location. 10:22:18 PM Josie: Slug: ... and she did not approve. 10:28:50 PM Coil: ((Back! Sorry.)) 10:29:01 PM Josie: ((No worries.)) 10:29:03 PM Coil: Hmm. did she suspect what it was they did there? 10:29:10 PM Josie: Slug: Yes. 10:29:17 PM Coil: ((Bathroom.)) 10:29:24 PM Coil: What did she suspect? 10:30:43 PM Josie: ((Figured it was that or neighborlady!)) 10:31:01 PM Josie: Slug: ... some sort of augmentation. She didn't know what it was, specifically, but they had a bit of a falling-out over it. 10:31:43 PM Coil: Stella Lark claimed she was butterfly-trained at reading people. 10:31:57 PM Coil: Was Irene Lark augmented? 10:32:08 PM Josie: Slug: No. At least, not that she knew of. 10:32:42 PM Coil: ... I never got augmented either. Thought about it, but... anyway. 10:33:06 PM Coil: Did Irene Lark know that her sister was on this station? 10:33:54 PM Josie: Slug: Oh yes. Stella invited m... her here. 10:35:35 PM Coil: What did Stella know about you? 10:35:59 PM Josie: Slug: Me? Nothing, I should think. I seem to be classified. 10:39:12 PM Coil: ...who was she supposed to report to on the station? 10:40:47 PM Josie: Slug: Captain Beresford. I believe he was on board earlier. 10:43:25 PM Coil: ... does any of this seem fishy to you? 10:44:04 PM Josie: Slug: Why no! Not at all. 10:44:12 PM Josie: The slug smiles cheerfully. 10:44:36 PM Coil: ... never mind. I forgot for a second who I was asking. Does any of this seem suspicious? 10:44:51 PM Josie: Slug: Suspicious? Why, should it? 10:45:27 PM Coil: I don't know. The Larks weren't talking. 10:46:21 PM Josie: Slug: Oh, Stella asked Irene to come. She was quite apologetic; Irene hoped for a reconciliation attempt. 10:47:23 PM Coil: Oh, never mind then. 10:47:47 PM Coil: Did Irene have any idea what kind of augmentation Stella had? 10:48:36 PM Josie: Slug: None! 10:48:41 PM Josie: Slug: Is it important? 10:49:11 PM Coil: Possibly. 10:49:23 PM Coil: Was Irene involved in any illicit activies? 10:50:36 PM Josie: Slug: No! ... not that I'm aware of, at least. 10:50:45 PM Josie: Slug: I don't have access to *everything* you know. 10:50:57 PM Coil: You don't? 10:53:17 PM Josie: Slug: No. 10:53:36 PM Josie: Slug: There are gaps. 10:55:23 PM Coil: Oh. 10:55:35 PM Josie: Slug: Sorry! 10:56:48 PM Coil: That's okay. 10:59:09 PM Josie: Slug smiles. 10:59:19 PM Coil: ... you need to pick a name. 11:00:57 PM Josie: Slug: Perhaps something related to Irene? It means "peace." 11:01:21 PM Coil: Sure. I have to puzzle my way out of the quagmire we're in. 11:02:18 PM Josie: Slug: All right! I await your decision. 11:06:13 PM Josie: She beams. 11:07:28 PM Coil: .... I'm not going to name you. You can name yourself. 11:07:39 PM Josie: Slug: I would consider it a great kindness. 11:08:01 PM Josie: Slug: As I understand it, your people rarely name themselves. 11:08:23 PM Coil: Coil rubs his eyes. 11:08:26 PM Coil: Fine. 11:08:33 PM Coil: Coil leaves the cockpit! 11:10:00 PM Josie: Where does he head next? 11:11:17 PM Josie: ((I've been cleaning the kitchen this whole time. Sorry for any long pauses. My mom may be coming over some time as early as next week and I'm like OMG HOUSE A PIT MUST CLEAN.)) 11:12:26 PM Coil: Back to his room for now! 11:12:59 PM Josie: It's empty. 11:14:17 PM Josie: And blessedly free of women. 11:14:51 PM Coil: Coil sits down and rubs his eyes. 11:16:26 PM Josie: Pretty quiet! 11:18:52 PM Coil: Coil briefly considers going on a killing spree. 11:19:08 PM Josie: It would be quite possible! 11:20:09 PM Josie: You could fairly easily disable the slug; Lou seems nonviolent; and you could probably get Stella drunk enough to kill easily. Alice could be turned off or her CPU destroyed. Of course that does leave Vir, but if you shot him in the back... 11:24:10 PM Coil: Tempting! So... very... tempting! 11:25:13 PM Josie: You could do it. No one would ever know! 11:26:59 PM Josie: You know you want to! 11:31:55 PM Coil: Coil won't, though. 11:32:32 PM Josie: What does he want to do next, then! 11:38:44 PM Coil: Coil doesn't know. He goes to find.... Lou, I suppose. 11:40:19 PM Josie: Lou is still in the kitchen. She's re-rearranging the food, frowning, but turns to smile at you as you approach. "Well, well, well. What do *you* want?" 11:43:25 PM | Edited 11:43:32 PM Coil: The ability to travel in time to undo mistakes I've made. You? 11:44:04 PM Josie: Lou: ... good idea. What mistake you need undoing? I might be able to help. 11:44:41 PM Coil: I wish you could, Lou. 11:45:27 PM Josie: Lou: Well, tell me what it is. 11:46:52 PM Coil: Well, I need to go back and time and stop Lark from dying so that her augment twin sister isn't breathing down my neck and "asking" to join my crew. Can you manage that? 11:47:52 PM Josie: Lou: ... oh. No, but I can give her a criminal record and arrange for her supervisor to find out so she gets fired, if you want. 11:50:45 PM Coil: No, that wouldn't help. 11:52:34 PM Josie: Lou: Hmm. It might be fun, though. 11:52:55 PM Coil: We're not doing that. 11:55:09 PM Josie: Lou: ... are you always going to stop me from having fun? 11:56:10 PM Coil: If I don't get to solve everything by killing everyone you don't get to have fun by destroying people with your computer hackery. 11:59:01 PM Josie: Lou: ... you wouldn't really kill everyone, would you? 11:59:09 PM Josie: She looks at him nervously. 11:59:19 PM Coil: ...no. 11:59:45 PM Coil: No, I wouldn't. 12:00:18 AM Josie: Lou: ... good. 12:00:22 AM Josie: Lou: So what *do* you want me to do? 12:05:57 AM Coil: .... I want you to dig up whatever you can on Stella Lark without flagging their systems. 12:06:34 AM Josie: Lou grins, showing her fangy little teeth. "Ooh. All right. How long do I have?" 12:06:52 AM Coil: A few hours. 12:10:06 AM Josie: Lou: Right. 12:10:22 AM Josie: She hops up. "I'll use the terminal in my room. Don't bug me, see you in a couple hours, cappy." 12:10:28 AM Josie: She skips off. Literally skips. 12:10:58 AM Coil: Coil nods.